Toward Wholeness Counseling

08/31/2026

This man is celebrating his 104th birthday in Heaven today. He was truly the patriarch of my family in all the best senses of that term. 4 daughters, 10 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren by my count, and now 5 great-great grandchildren! He left a legacy of love, faith, hard work, and a love of all things chocolate. I am very thankful for this piece of my family’s story while recognizing the hurts and harms that are often passed down through generations as well. I would love to talk with you about where you come from and how your life can be better today and change for your descendants tomorrow.

08/28/2026

I see relationships from a systems perspective. That means that everyone in the system (family, relational group, etc) affects and is affected by everyone else. The beauty of a system is that just one person can make a change that then changes the whole system! What is your relational system like? What is a change you would like to be and see? I would love to support you in therapy.

08/26/2026

I took some time for self-care on Monday in the form of a hike in the mountains with a loved one. This is one of the most important things I’m learning in training and practice as a therapist. We need self-care in order to be able to care for others and simply function well as human beings. Are you a caregiver? Do you know someone who is? What are some barriers you face when it comes to practicing self-care?

08/21/2026

Sometimes the things we need the most are the things we most struggle to do. I’m a big fan of starting small and gradually working your way up. For instance, if someone experiencing depression can’t seem
to get out of bed in the morning, I’ll recommend that be the first step. Get out of bed. Put your feet on the floor. Once you can
do that consistently, move on to getting dressed. It’s important to celebrate these small milestones while recognizing that changing behavior is one part of a big picture that may need to include medication, social support, talk therapy, and spiritual growth. What’s challenging for you these days? How can I support you? Please reach out for a free phone consultation to see if therapy is right for you.

08/20/2026

Depression can look many different ways. Lying in bed for days on end, continuing managing life while feeling dead inside, fits of crying, fits of rage..there is no one size fits all. Therapy can help. Talking through your challenges with someone who cares in a safe environment, learning workable coping skills, understanding how thoughts impact feelings and actions impact both. Depression feels hopeless. A therapist holds hope for a client until you can embrace it for yourself.

We created a list of 99 Coping Skills. Save it or print it to take it with you so you'll always remember them!

08/17/2026

To my understanding, anxiety and depression are two sides of the same coin. I picture them this way: anxiety is like working as hard as possible to climb a tall ladder. Depression is like realizing you can never do everything you need and sliding down the other side. In what ways do you relate to this analogy?

08/14/2026

In my earlier post this week, I referenced deep breathing. This is one of the best and most reliable ways to reduce anxiety, especially physical symptoms like racing heartbeat. But what is it exactly? There are many methods. A simple one can be called belly breaths. Try it like this:

Lie down or sit in a relaxed position. Gently place your hand over your belly button. Take a breath in so that your hand rises. (It’s typical to breathe so the belly doesn’t move much but the shoulders rise and fall. This is more shallow, chest breathing). See if you can slowly count to five while pushing your hand out with your breath. Then watch your hand come back down as you breathe out, again counting to five. You can even pull your belly in as you exhale. Do this two or three times, then let your breathing return to normal to avoid lightheadedness. How do you feel now?

08/12/2026

Do you ever feel anxious? It’s a universal human emotion, and one that can be overwhelming at times. If you or someone you know struggles with anxiety, I’m here to help! Feel free to call or email me for more information on how to get started. (720) 726-9339 [email protected]

I was at the doctor for a check up yesterday and noticed myself feeling a bit nervous. I was seeing a new provider in a new office, so there were a few unknowns. I decided to practice what I offer to many of my clients, an exercise called 5 Senses Grounding. It helps with stress, anxiety, panic, anger—anytime you want to feel more calm and connected to your environment instead of caught up in the past, future, or trauma triggers. Try it for yourself and see what you think!

Get into a comfortable position, close your eyes, and take two deep breaths.

Look around your space and intentionally notice and name 5 things you can see...
4 things you can feel (actually reach out and touch them; four different textures if you can)…
3 things you can hear…
2 things you can smell (intentionally smell them)…
1 thing you can taste (sip of a drink, bite of a snack).

Close your eyes and take two more deep breaths.
Be present in the here and now.

08/12/2026

I was at the doctor for a check up yesterday and noticed myself feeling a bit nervous. I was seeing a new provider in a new office, so there were a few unknowns. I decided to practice what I offer to many of my clients, an exercise called 5 Senses Grounding. It helps with stress, anxiety, panic, anger—anytime you want to feel more calm and connected to your environment instead of caught up in the past, future, or trauma triggers. Try it for yourself and see what you think!

Get into a comfortable position, close your eyes, and take two deep breaths.

Look around your space and intentionally notice and name 5 things you can see...
4 things you can feel (actually reach out and touch them; four different textures if you can)…
3 things you can hear…
2 things you can smell (intentionally smell them)…
1 thing you can taste (sip of a drink, bite of a snack).

Close your eyes and take two more deep breaths.
Be present in the here and now.

08/10/2026

With school starting for many young people in Colorado, now is an excellent time to reach out for mental health support! I am available via telehealth throughout our great state and welcome any referrals you send my way. What questions do you have? Where are you struggling? Where would you like to grow?